By HOPE BWALYA and HELEN ZULU –
GOVERNMENT has assured farmers that they will receive their payments within this week which the Food Reserve Agency (FRA) owes them.
Ministry of Agriculture Permanent Secretary Julius Shawa said during the course of this week, Government was expected to pay the final
outstanding bill of K6 million owed to farmers by FRA.
Mr Shawa said the ministry was taking this step in line with President Edgar Lungu’s directive to supply agro inputs to farmers within seven
days and immediately pay up what was owed to them.
He said the ministry had to make the payments simultaneously with the distribution so as to strike a balance and that the farmers who were not paid were not disadvantaged.
Mr Shawa was speaking at a briefing in Lusaka yesterday.
“K6 million is expected to be released by the Ministry of Finance and will be paid in this week to farmers in some parts of Northern
Province. Once the payment is made, it would be easy for farmers to pay for the K 400 required for the farming. We have been warned and we
have taken the warning seriously,” he said.
As of early August this year, about K43, 156,773 had been disbursed by the FRA towards the payment of farmers who supplied their maize to the agency.
Recently, the President directed the agencies in the agriculture sector to expedite the delivery of farming inputs to all parts of the
country failure to which tough measures were to be taken against the erring officers.
“I cannot accept any excuses for poor performance that might lead to a poor harvest. I will be taking decisive action against any civil servant at any level who will be seen to be standing in our quest to ensure sustainable food security. I expect all civil servants to take heed of this warning.
This situation is unacceptable and tough measures will be instituted against officers responsible,” the President said.